Temporal experience in mania
Marcin Moskalewicz, M. Schwartz
April 1, 2020 DOI: 10.1007/s11097-018-9564-0 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that temporal distortion in mania is not merely acceleration but radical acceleration and asynchronicity, yielding an instantaneous existence in which the self abandons normal temporal boundaries and leaps toward the future. Proposes manic temporality as the link between manic phenomenology and manic neurobiology, discussed alongside disrupted circadian rhythms and lithium treatment. |
Abstract
The paper examines both the phenomenology of the manic self as well as critical aspects of manic neurobiology, focusing, with respect to both domains, on manic temporality. We argue that the distortions of lived time in mania exceed mere acceleration and are fundamental for manic affectivity. Mania involves radical acceleration and radical asynchronicity, which result in an instantaneous existence. People with mania rebel against the facticity of reality and suffer from an existential leap towards the future, in which the self abandons normal temporal boundaries. Excerpts from the interviews with persons with mania who experienced psychosis illustrate this phenomenon. Commenting upon disrupted circadian rhythms in mania and the role of lithium in its treatment the paper posits manic temporality as the link through which manic phenomenology and manic neurobiology intertwine.